"In 2013 the financial divide between men and women remains pronounced, however in some areas the gap continues to close.

"It is positive that the pay gap between the sexes continues to reduce and that men and women are equally likely to save into a corporate pension scheme. In this regard, recent legislation in these areas should help to see positive movements in both of these areas in the coming years. However, in terms of outlook we can still see significant variations between the haves and have nots for both sexes.

"While women have a higher level of homeownership, those who are not on the housing ladder are more pessimistic than men about their prospects here - something which may be partly explained by the higher level of male employment.